Ballard day-care worker charged with molestation

A Seattle day-care worker was charged this morning with two counts of first-degree child molestation for allegedly touching a 9-year-old girl several times while she was in his care.

Police say that Curtis Allen Rapp, 50, a teacher at Small Faces Child Development Center in Ballard, held the girl on his lap, tickled her and placed his hand underneath her clothes when she was 8 years old.

Rapp was placed on leave by the center on March 2 after the girl's parents talked to directors, according to the charging papers.

He is being held in jail in lieu of $200,000 bail and pleaded not guilty in King County Superior Court this morning.

According to charging papers, the girl reported that several other children had regularly been "tickled" by Rapp.

Rapp had worked at the center since 2000, according to the charging papers. The 9-year-old girl attended Small Faces during her preschool years and had continued attending there during holidays and breaks after starting school.

Rapp will be back in court April 3.

Natalie Singer: 206-464-2704 or nsinger@seattletimes.com